MY VERSION OF SEASON 7
by Black Butterflyz
Summary: How s7 goes if I owned BTVS. In my S7 Tara's alive, Oz comes to SunnyD and there are 2 other characters comin back. U've gotta read it and see who they r. Episode 3 and the conclusion of the 3-part opener are here!!
1. The Fate of The Earth Part 1

MY SEASON 7 This the way season 7 of the Buffyverse would work if I had written it and not Joss. For a first season 6 would have been a lot different (see author's notes for details -imporatnt!) Anyway read and enter the Buffyverse (my style)...  
  
s7.1 The Fate Of The Earth Part 1  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters - Joss & Co. do. A/N: This is my own version of the series. Only stuff up to end of s5 is true. I know that means I should be re-writing s6 but I'm starting from s7 anyway and the points you don't know will be revealed along the way. All u need to know is: Buffy and Spike never had their wacky relationship he just liked her. Giles did leave soon after Buffy returned but he didn't come back. Xander's & Anya's failed wedding was much nearer to the end of the season (if I had written it may have even been the episode before the season finale ep21) and she left town immediately afterwards ('cause the only reason she came back after s3 was because of him anyway). Magic shop still exists but is vacant and for sale. Tara did NOT die. Instead Will went sort of freaky on them mid-season by overusing her powers and then Tara broke up with her so she left to England to get help from Giles (and did not return for rest of season). Spike and Xander talk but are not actually friends. Tara and Xander, on the other hand, have bonded. Tara and Buffy are close and Spike and Tara.... well, you'll have to figure out their standing for yourself. Spike likes Dawn as a friend while she likes him a little more than that. Spike's feelings for Buffy remain as they were back in season 5 (his so-called 'love' for her) while now she trusts him with Dawn but they are still not quite friends but he is the only person at all who knows she went to heaven and not to hell. That's all I'm revealing for now. There will be a cast list & guest cast but not in this season premiere since I want to surprise you. Also, (this is important), while the major things on Angel have happened (Darla, Holtz, Conner etc) from s1-3 none of it is officially true since there will be small parts of things that happened in the show that are not true. Let's say the only things from the show that are 100% true as episodes are up to season's 1 heroes. Just ignore everything else, although, like I've already said, a lot of what happened after is true anyway. (You'll understand later if I confused u now)  
  
Teaser: Setting: One of Sunnydale's many graveyards  
  
Buffy stepped on the broken leaves and she wandered through the graveyard. Xander was looking after Dawn so Buffy knew she'd be okay, she just wasn't sure he would be. Xander was still upset about Anya. She pushed the thoughts from her mind when she felt a vampire, not too far off. She ran towards it only to find she was just in time as it had a human in its grasp. Before the vampire could bear its fangs into the mans neck, Buffy leaped and pulled it off. She fought it, but didn't have to try too hard since it was a newborn and was obviously not yet used to its skills and abilities. She soon turned it into dust and reached for the person whom, she had noticed during the fight, had still not moved. Her fears of a dead body were taken away when she felt a pulse. Quite faint, but still there. She turned the mans body round so he lay on his back and saw a face which was fairly familiar to her, yet she still couldn't place it. She noticed a pair of broken glasses by his side had left some marks around his eyes when his face had been punched, as she assumed. From the deep wound in his stomach she knew she would have to get him to a hospital soon or that faint pulse may cease to beat. It was only then, looking into his face, as she pushed his hair back that she recognised who it was.  
  
___  
Act 1  
  
Scene: the hospital  
  
"Miss?"  
  
"What?" asked Buffy shaking her head slightly. "Sorry, I just sorta wondered off."  
  
"Yes," the young nurse said. "Now, about your friend..."  
  
"Well, he's not really my friend as such," Buffy mumbled.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Um, never mind."  
  
"Well, anyway...we can't really give you any information on him yet. The doctors still haven't finished, but I will inform you as soon as we know anything."  
  
"Uh, yeah. Thank you," Buffy said.  
  
"If you need to call anyone our phone is just down this hallway. You are welcome to use it."  
  
"Okay."  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey, Xander. It's Buffy."  
  
"Hey Buffy. You okay?"  
  
"Yeah. How's Dawn?"  
  
"She's fine. We're having a movie marathon. We're on to Charlie's Angel's now. It's not like I mind that much but there's only so many chick flicks a guy can take. And I'm fine by the way."  
  
Buffy had to smile - although it only lasted for a second. "That was coming next."  
  
"Yeah, I bet," Xander grinned. "Hey, how are you phoning?"  
  
"Well, I'm kinda at the hospital."  
  
"What!?" he exclaimed  
  
"It's okay Xander, I'm fine."  
  
"Then what the hell are you doing there? Did something happen to Tara?"  
  
"No - at least I don't think so. Spike went to her place so she should be alright."  
  
"Then what is it? What happened?"  
  
"Well, when I was slaying I saved this guy from a vampire, but he was unconscious and hurt really bad. I had to bring him here."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"But that's not all," Buffy added.  
  
"Why?" asked Xander all his anxiety from before returning.  
  
"The guy.... he wasn't just any guy..."  
  
"Who was he?"  
  
* After a long silence Xander replied. "Oh."  
  
"I thought we already covered that."  
  
Scene change: Summers residence - kitchen  
  
After Xander put the phone down Dawn came up to him. "Xander? What's going on?"  
  
"Um, nothing," he said quickly.  
  
"That is not a nothing face," she said folding her arms. "Was that Buffy?"  
  
"Um...no?"  
  
"Xander," she said sternly.  
  
"Okay, it was Buffy. But everything is fine. Nothing happened."  
  
"Then why did you lie in the first place?"  
  
"Well, just beacuse..."  
  
"Tell me what is going on!"  
  
"It's just...at the cemetery Buffy saved this guy who was hurt bad."  
  
"Is he dead?"  
  
"No!" Xander said exasperatedly, "Well, we're not sure of that yet...he's with the doctors still...but he wasn't...I mean he was..."  
  
"What is it!?"  
  
"He was Wesley, Dawn"  
  
___  
  
((A/N: We don't know for sure everything that happened seasons 1-4 with Dawn but in this Dawn had always liked Wesley unlike the rest of the gang))  
  
END of ACT1  
  
Act 2 Scene: Tara's dorm at UCS  
  
Tara knelt on the floor rifling through her drawers. Finally she took out a file, turned and thrust it in front of her. "This is the one."  
  
"Thanks," said Spike taking it from her.  
  
"That'll help Dawn with all her stuff."  
  
"Yeah. So, you're sure you'll be alight if I go?"  
  
"As sure as I was when you asked me that fifteen minutes ago."  
  
"Oh. Right." Spike shuffled his feet and looked up, a little uncomfortably. "Just wanted to make sure."  
  
Tara sat down on the bed, placing her hands on her lap. "It's okay Spike. I know the only reason you come here all the time is because Buffy sends you to check up on me."  
  
"Well, yeah," Spike started, "but it's not like she forces me or anything. I do come here on my own accord too."  
  
"It's okay. I know you just want to get into Buffy's good books so maybe she'll like you."  
  
"Tara, I do care about you," he said and sat down next to her.  
  
She looked at him levelly. "But it's okay to score points with Buffy on the side, right?" ___  
  
Scene change: Graveyard  
  
"Slayer," the vampire growled bearing its fangs.  
  
"Uh, yeah! Like isn't it obvious to you people by now that I'm the only lousy person in this town who hasn't got a date and has to spend Saturday night with you vamps," Buffy ranted before taking the vampire by his shoulders and throwing him on to the tree to her left. "It's getting to a point where it's just pissing off." She tossed him over onto his back with her foot and pressed it down hard into his chest. "Plus can't you think of something better to say than 'Slayer' when you see me. I mean come on, is being undead having a weird effect on your brain and causing you not to think properly?" She drove her stake into his unbeating heart and turned him into dust. "Loser." But before Buffy could begin to gloat she heard a growing noise behind her and sighed. "You know I thought that once you staked a vampire it meant that they couldn't come ba-" she stopped as she turned around and came in front of a seven-foot demon, towering over her.  
  
Buffy felt herself in the same position as she had only seconds before put that vampire in as she was tossed face forward onto a tree. She tried to scramble to her feet but before she could regain her balance she was tossed on to the nearby tombstone. This time before the demon could come near her she did a back flip and stood up. Seconds later, the demon was on the ground and she had him pinned beneath her and she had his neck wound in the chains she had pulled off the gate. She twisted them amidst his yelps and soon his wriggling stopped as he fell lifeless onto the grass. She threw them aside before she began to run back home.  
  
___  
  
Scene change: An old, run-down, gloomy, candle-lit mansion  
  
"You have failed me, Nicholas," the cloaked man addressed the boy kneeling before him.  
  
"I know Master William, b-but it will never happen again...I swear," he mumbled.  
  
"Of course it won't!" he boomed and with that he sent out a lightening bolt from his fingertips at the trembling figure until the cloak fell to ground lifeless. He looked around and saw the others surrounding him stunned into silence with fear.  
  
"You!" he shouted pointing to his left. "Balthazar, come here!" He did as he was commanded and waited motionlessly before William. "Balthazar, are you prepared to undertake the task that shall lie before you?" William questioned the servant.  
  
"I am sir," he announced, his voice full of confidence.  
  
"Good," William was pleased. "Rise!" Once more, Balthazar obeyed. "Balthazar, you are to find out who has killed the brother of our saviour Showun. Once you have done so you are to kill this being be they either of immortal birth or of man. And then you are to report back to me. Do you understand?"  
  
"Perfectly, sir."  
  
"Good."  
  
___  
  
Act 3  
  
Scene: Summers residence  
  
"It's not in here either!" Xander exclaimed in frustration.  
  
"It's okay Xander," Tara tried to reassure him, "It'll be somewhere. We just have to keep looking. Besides, Buffy did say she already killed the demon so won't things be okay?"  
  
"Yeah, that demons dead, but we gotta check up on it. For all we know this could be some sort of demon that will keep coming back to life or some crap like that."  
  
"Okay. Where's Dawn," she asked, looking around.  
  
"In her room. She's been up there for a while - hasn't really said anything since I told her Wesley was in the hospital."  
  
"I guess she really liked the guy."  
  
"Well, sorta. She was the only one of us who would ever talk to the guy long enough to actually get an actual impression of him."  
  
"And the rest of you didn't try talking to him because...?"  
  
"I'm not really sure..." but before Xander could finish his thought Dawn came running down the stairs.  
  
"Hey Dawn," Tara smiled. "What have you been doing?" Dawn held up her cordless phone in reply.  
  
"So, you've been making calls at eleven. Was it to any strange boys that none of us know about?"  
  
"Not that strange."  
  
"But I thought your friend James had left for England last week, before his school started," Tara questioned.  
  
"He did. I called Angel." For a few moments neither Tara nor Xander could say anything. Just then, Spike came pounding up the stairs.  
  
"Okay guys," he called ascending onto the floor, "I've got a few more books from down in the basement, but there aren't that many left here so we're definitely getting somewhere." Then he noticed Dawn standing there. "Hey Dawn," she said.  
  
"Hey Spike," she shrugged glancing momentarily away from Xander's questioning face.  
  
"Why did you call him?" Xander demanded.  
  
"Call whom?"  
  
"Angel," Xander told Spike.  
  
"Angel!" he exclaimed. "You called Angel?! What the hell are you calling that bafoon for?"  
  
"Spike!" Tara said. "Don't say things like that in front of Dawn."  
  
"Well, he is one and besides Dawn's a big girl," he said. "But, that's not the point here." Like Xander, Spike too turned to stare at Dawn.  
  
She sighed and answered, "I called him because of Wesley."  
  
"And what exactly did he say about him?" Xander asked.  
  
"Nothing! He wasn't there and no one has been at the office since you told me which was a while ago. I'm afraid something has happened to him."  
  
"Hell, I hope so. It would serve him damn right if something did."  
  
"Spike!" Tara repeated. "If something has happened to Angel, then maybe Wesley was coming to Buffy for help."  
  
"Well, we don't have time for that now, we have to find out about this demon for Buffy. We can't go about trying to help Angel too."  
  
"But if something's happened to Angel then -" Dawn started.  
  
"Xander's right, Dawn, we can't help Angel," Spike told her. "Besides, we're not even really sure that something has happened to him. And if it has I don't really see how that's a bad thing," he added under his breath.  
  
"Listen, I know you guys don't like Angel, but if something has happened to him - or to any of them - then I think we should help. I mean, after Angel found out something was gonna happen to Buffy he came to help."  
  
"Right, so what we do is send Buffy to help them out without telling him she's there - 'cause that we be just awful - and then we stay here and wait for the world to end (again!) while she saves Angel's ass. Damn good plan, that is."  
  
"Xander, please. We don't even know if it's the end of the world anyway."  
  
"That's not the point. You don't get it, Tara. It always happens. Buffy'll go save Angel before saving the rest of us. He's more important you see."  
  
"That's not true," a small voice whispered.  
  
"Buffy," Spike spoke on seeing her upstairs. "We thought you were in your bedroom."  
  
"I sorta gathered that," she mumbled before climbing down the stairs.  
  
"Um, Buffy, listen. I didn't mean..."  
  
"I know what you meant Xander," she said avoiding his eyes as she put her jacket on. And then she left.  
  
Everyone looked around for a while until Xander ran out of the room and into the kitchen. Tara followed him.  
  
"Xander," she called to his still figure.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Well, it's just, maybe you shouldn't be so hard on Buffy. She's had it kinda bad and we don't always make things any easier for her," Tara rushed.  
  
"I know," he said, nodding his head. "It's just sometimes I wish she would realise that things aren't perfect for us either. Even though we didn't die and come back to life it doesn't mean things are all fine and dandy."  
  
"You're right, but maybe she should give her a little time. She probably needs that."  
  
"Yeah, but what I'm worried about is what she needs that time for."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, okay she still has her life and death issues to sort out. But she seems to want to sort out Angel issues too and I don't think that's a good thing."  
  
"But why not? I mean, they should have things worked out between them, don't you think?"  
  
"Yeah, but she doesn't know that now Angel and Cordy have a thing. I'm not gonna let that oaf break her heart again."  
  
Tara sat down. "Maybe Spike was lying when he told us. We all know how he likes Buffy. Maybe he thinks that if she thinks that she'll get over Angel like Spike instead."  
  
But Xander just shook his head. "I don't deny that I think Spike is an ass, But I prefer him a lot more to Angel. Spike may be a vampire - and an unsouled one at that - but unlike Angel, he does care about Buffy's feelings and I don't think he'd want to hurt her on purpose. Besides, if that was his aim, wouldn't have told her and not us?"  
  
"Guys?" Dawn's voice called. Tara and Xander both looked up to see Spike and Dawn standing in the doorway.  
  
"What's up?" Xander asked.  
  
"Apocalypse.  
  
___  
  
Scene change: England (it's day here)  
  
Willow and Giles were sitting together on a bench in a park close to Giles's new place.  
  
"You have improved quite a lot Willow. You are getting better everyday and you're a strong young woman," he told her.  
  
"But I just don't know if I have the strength to face them all. Especially Buffy, Dawn and Tara. After what I did -"  
  
"After what you did you realised your mistakes and immediately came to me for help. It's not easy to escape magic like that but you have succeeded and I have every faith in you."  
  
"But how can you be sure they'll forgive me?"  
  
"I once told Buffy 'forgivness is an act of compassion. It's not done because someone deserves it -"  
  
"It's done because they need it! I know this Giles, I was there!!!" she exclaimed after finishing his sentence for him.  
  
"And Willow I believe you need AND deserve it fully after everything you've been through these past months here with me. And I know that once you go back Buffy will eventually realise that."  
  
"Well," Willow said slowly, "I hope she does. I'm not sure about my deserving it but I do know I need their - her - forgivness. And it I didn't get it..."  
  
"You'd what?" he asked.  
  
"I-I'd end up going back to what I was - evil. And this time...maybe I won't get back." ______  
  
Act 4  
  
Scene: The mansion (NOT Angelus', Spike's & Dru's)  
  
Jeremy, the sorcerer, approached his master, hidden in the darkness. He spoke, "Sir, when do we perform the ritual?"  
  
"2 nights are left," he replied.  
  
"And the girl?"  
  
"She has not escaped. I have been watching her."  
  
"She is a most powerful being sir. It took ten of our best men to bring her in and she defeated four of them. Are you sure that I should not make the potion to keep her subdued just in case?"  
  
"Yes, I am sure," his tone increasing  
  
"Yes, sir," he said hastily, bowed, and turned to leave.  
  
"Make sure that there is a meal ready for the all-powerful Showun when he wakes up," he called. "He does not like to be kept waiting. A deer will do nicely for tonight. Although I am sure tomorrow morning he will be wanting a human."  
  
"Yes, sir," he replied. "I will see to it." After he left William opened the door to inspect her. Faith was struggling pulling at the chains, trying to shout for help.  
  
He watched as her dark hair and eyes blazed on in the moonlight. He pondered, she was a pretty thing, it would be a shame to waste such a powerful creature. But he knew it would not be in vain. He took to the balcony of the old mansion looked to the sky. He smiled knowing what was to come, the fate of the earth. In two nights he would be the second most powerful being, and the most powerful mortal in the world - although he would not be a mere mortal for long.  
  
For in two nights, man - and the earth himself - would cease to exist.  
  
____  
  
((The next morning)) ((A/N: Everything so far has happened on one night in SunnyD, CA- the night before the full moon (Important!)))  
  
Scene change: Outside Xander's apartment building  
  
Xander walked out of the building pulling out his keys to his jeep from his jean jacket. It was only once he was almost inside the jeep when he noticed the van parked in front of him, and the redhead familiar man who got out from it. Xander jumped out and called to him. "Oz!"  
  
He turned around and in his usual Oz way, shrugged and said, "Hey."  
  
"Oz, man, what are you doing here?" he said after reaching him. "I didn't think you were gonna be coming back to Sunnydale. Are you here to see Willow?"  
  
"Buffy, actually."  
  
"The Buffster?"  
  
"Uh, yeah."  
  
"Well, what's going on?" Xander asked trying to sound as casual as possible, still confused for the reasons of his return, although he could be sure that one thing about him hadn't changed - Oz was still a man of little words.  
  
"Demons."  
  
"Demons!?" Xander exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, I need Buffy's help."  
  
"Well, sure then. The Scoobies are always willing to help out with the demon killing stuff for friends. What's the demonic prob-" He cut himself off, something catching his eye in the backseat of the van.  
  
He walked past Oz and up to the window only to see a little girl lying down there. He could tell she was asleep, and her long brown curls fell in front of her face so Xander wasn't able to determine her age. But she looked around three or four. "Who's that?" he questioned looking back at Oz.  
  
Oz hesitated before answering, "She's sorta...my daughter." ___ __________  
  
NEXT EPISODE: S7.2 "TFOTE PART2" THE GANG HAVE TO TELL BUFFY WHAT THEY KNOW WHILE SHE MEETS A STRANGE MAN WITH SECRETS OF HIS OWN.  
PLEASE REVIEW & TELL ME WHAT U THINK. 


	2. The Fate of the Earth Part 2

MY SEASON 7 This the way season 7 would work if I had written it and not Joss. Read on to see how...  
  
s7.2 The Fate Of The Earth Part 2  
  
Disclaimer: Buffy and all other characters and related trademarks are owned by Joss Whedon, Marti Noxon, and everyone else who helps in making the actual show  
  
A/N: Well, this is the second part of the season opener and I'm basically continuing from that. This kicks off just about an hour or so after the first part ended. I'm gonna have a main & a guest cast list from now on except I'll be using character names. This is so it'll be more like a real season and you guys will know who's gonna come in all the "episodes".  
  
Summary: Continuing from last week, the gang receives help from Oz, while Buffy gets hers from a stranger. Finally, Buffy has to make a decision.  
  
Teaser:  
  
Spike's crypt  
  
The stone door burst open and the man's figure only partly blocked out the blazing sun. "Hey!" Spike screamed and ran behind the pillar to shield himself. "You could've killed me!"  
  
"Maybe next time, Spike," said Xander stepping into the crypt. "I see you haven't taken to re-decorating yet," Xander mused looking around. "Haven't found anyone good, 'cause I know a girl who could do wonders with this place."  
  
"Whadda ya want?" Spike grumbled.  
  
"I need a favor."  
  
"A favor? Look, Xander, first you storm into my place, almost kill me - and you still haven't closed the door! - and now you want a favor!?"  
  
"Uh, yeah."  
  
"Oh, okay then."  
  
Then, Oz walked in carrying a little girl in his arms. "You sure this is okay?" Oz asked Xander.  
  
"Yeah," Xander reassured him. "Spike, you know Oz?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"We've not got time for introductions, I just want you to look after her."  
  
"Who's she? Your kid?" he addressed Oz.  
  
Oz didn't say anything but Spike took it for a yes.  
  
"Listen, Spike we're gonna be back for her soon. But until then will you just keep an eye on her?"  
  
"Will ya shut the door?" Xander kicked it back and Spike nodded. "Okay, but don't expect me to do this all the time for you. I'm only gonna do it now 'cause I know the girls can't."  
  
"Why can't they?" asked Oz.  
  
"'Cause Tara took Dawn to the hospital to see Wesley and Buffy's gone out someplace."  
  
"Where?" Xander wondered aloud.  
  
"Dunno." By this time Oz had laid the little girl on the couch. "Hey, am I gonna get an explanation for this? I know you don't really like me but I was just wondering if you were gonna tell me what was going on this time? You guys never did when you brought Buffy back?" Oz turned to look at Xander.  
  
"We'll tell you once we get back, we just have to make sure of what we know."  
  
Xander and Oz climbed the few steps to the door of the crypt. "Guys?" Spike called. They turned back. "Does this little birdie have a name?"  
  
"Annie."  
  
MAIN CAST: + Buffy + Xander + Willow + Spike + Wesley + Tara + Dawn + Faith + And Oz  
  
GUEST CAST: + Annie + Jason + William + Balthazar + Giles + Jeremy  
  
ACT 1  
  
Scene: The hospital  
  
Tara sat down next to Dawn and handed her a coke. "They didn't have orange but I got you a coke."  
  
"Thanks, Tara, but I'm not really that thirsty."  
  
"Then, do you want me to get you some food? Downstairs, they sell this really nice food - and it's good for you too. But if you don't want that there's a vending machine over there that's got chocolate. Or I could even go across the street and -"  
  
"I'm fine. I don't really want anything."  
  
"Oh, okay." A second later Tara sat up again in her seat and said, "Are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah." The two of them were silent for a while, but Tara hated the silence that screamed at her and felt she had to end it.  
  
"So school starts Monday right?"  
  
"Yeah, but not tomorrow. The next Monday."  
  
"Oh, right. Are you looking forward to it?"  
  
"I'm not quite sure. It was hard enough starting freshman year at my last school. Now they've rebuilt Sunnydale High and I'm going there all the other sophomores will know each other and I won't know anybody."  
  
"There's sure to be other new people there. Aren't any of your friends from your old high school moving?"  
  
"There are a few people from my year who are transferring, but I only know one of them."  
  
"So at least you'll know one person."  
  
"It's Janine."  
  
"You mean that horrible girl who insulted your outfit and called you those names?"  
  
"Yup, the one and the same. Janine Pierson, middle name 'Bitch'."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"Doesn't matter. Hopefully there'll be someone at Sunnydale High who will be even weirder than me who she can pick on. If I'm lucky."  
  
"Oh, don't be silly. You're not weird."  
  
"Have you checked out my record lately? Family history? Not exactly your average student."  
  
"All you are is different to most people. But, different isn't bad. You're ... special." Dawn laughed. "I'm not kidding. You are special and if these kids at your new can't see that then they're just plain blind."  
  
"But you can see, can't you Tara? You can see my 'special' light glowing around me. Green, isn't it? That's what you said. A green, pretty light. That's what I am."  
  
Before Tara could say anything a young nurse came up to them. "We've finished our checkups on your friend." Dawn got up and walked inside Wesley's hospital room leaving Tara behind.  
  
Scene change: Wesley's room  
  
Tara opened and shut the door silently behind her but she knew that Dawn had heard her come in anyway. "What did they say?" Dawn asked from her chair next to Wesley's bed.  
  
"He's fine. We just have to wait till he wakes up."  
  
"And when will he do that?"  
  
"They're not sure."  
  
"Why not?" Dawn said turning her body round to face Tara.  
  
"Because, you can't always be sure, Dawn. That's just how it is," Tara's voice not coming out quite as gentle as she had intended. Dawn remained silent, turning back to face Wesley.  
  
Before Tara could settle her conscience and say something Dawn spoke. "Are we doing the right thing?"  
  
"The right thing for what, Dawn?"  
  
"In not checking that nothing's happened. To Angel and them, I mean."  
  
"Well, from over here, there's nothing we can do from over here besides phone them. And for all we know, they could have just gone out somewhere for dinner or some show last night." Dawn said nothing, but her manner told Tara something else. "Dawn?"  
  
"I-I sorta called them this morning."  
  
"Oh," Tara said moving away from the door and sitting down on the stool behind Dawn.  
  
"Um...do you think maybe you wouldn't tell Buffy?"  
  
"Okay," Tara sighed. "But you should listen to her Dawn."  
  
"It's not like she ever listens to us."  
  
"But-"  
  
"But what? She doesn't have to listen to us? Just because she's the Chosen One and some sort of leader it doesn't mean she can act like she's the boss or something."  
  
"Dawn-" Tara started.  
  
"No, Tara. Stop sticking up for her. You don't get it. I mean for you guys Buffy just acts all bossy in the demon stuff and yeah, okay then, since she's the one gonna destroy the demon, maybe that is okay sometimes. But after all that she comes home and tries to be Mom. But she's not Mom and Buffy'll never be Mom -"  
  
"Uh, guys?" a voice called.  
  
Tara and Dawn turned around to see Xander and Oz standing at the door.  
  
"Oz?" Dawn asked, surprised, completely forgetting what she was saying only a few moments ago.  
  
"Hey Dawn. Tara," he added almost as an afterthought.  
  
"Uh...Hi!" Tara's voice squeaking a little too much for her liking. "Hey."  
  
"So, um, how's English?" Xander asked.  
  
"He's okay," Tara piped up, glad, for once; she knew the answer to something. "We just have to wait till he gets up."  
  
"Alright."  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"Well," Oz answered Dawn, "I need some help from Buffy."  
  
"You do? How come?" the squeakiness still not depleting, much to Tara's dislike.  
  
"Oz knows about the demon we're hunting," Xander said closing the door behind him first. "And it's a lot more than that one paragraph we got from that book last night. He's gonna help us and we're gonna help him."  
  
"What do you know?" asked Dawn.  
  
"Xander said that all you guys know is that the demon Buffy killed last night is the brother of some other demon who's bringing an apocalypse. Well, I know that the other demon is Showun."  
  
"And he is?"  
  
"Well, I don't know that -"  
  
"Well, what do you know?" Dawn repeated herself, becoming impatient.  
  
"I know that for the apocalypse that he's going to start he needs to make a sacrifice. A sacrifice of someone powerful."  
  
"So what kind of powerful? Because he could have chosen anybody, I mean, we wouldn't know."  
  
"He's decided to sacrifice the Slayer."  
  
"The Slayer!?" Tara exclaimed jumping up from her seat. "We have to go find Buffy! We don't know where she is even, I mean, she could be anywhere! They could have even got her by now!"  
  
"Tara, they don't have Buffy," Xander reassured her.  
  
"Are you sure?" she said, nevertheless, calming down a bit.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"But then w-who -" Tara began.  
  
"Faith," Dawn whispered. "They took Faith didn't they?" Oz nodded. "B-but how do you know that?"  
  
"Because ... um, Faith is my girlfriend."  
  
"What?" Dawn exclaimed suddenly. "Faith is your-your...girlfriend!?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Faith was released from prison a while back," Xander explained. "She and Oz ran into each other in San Francisco."  
  
"And now you two are going out ... Whoa," Dawn breathed before falling back into her seat.  
  
___  
  
END OF ACT 1  
  
ACT 2  
  
Scene: The mansion  
  
"Well?" William demanded.  
  
"We have searched, sir, but -"  
  
"How many times do I have to tell you Balthazar, you cannot make excuses!"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"You may rise." William walked towards the door. "Showun will not be pleased."  
  
"I know sir, but if you would please just give me another chance -"  
  
"Stop!" he commanded. "Again, Balthazar, do I have to tell you that there will be no pleading? Pleading is for the foolish and the weak. Are you weak Balthazar?"  
  
"N-no, sir." he shook his head.  
  
William grimaced. "That is something you have not yet proven to me. And rise you insolent boy!" he added, noting Balthazar's knelt position. "I have already told you to do so."  
  
"Y-Yes sir," he rushed as he scrambled to his feet.  
  
"Well, Balthazar," William whispered turning around. "I will give you another chance."  
  
"You w-will sir? I won't let you down, sir, I -"  
  
"Shut up, fool. But, there is a condition you must meet."  
  
"Yes sir?" Balthazar asked, now returning to his normal self.  
  
"You must take seek out Pete and take him with you."  
  
"Pete?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"But sir, Pete is -"  
  
William cut him off, "Pete is the only person other than our leader Showun who I trust. I have not much faith in you Balthazar, I must admit. My thinking that you were the most capable of this task was a lack of judgment on my part. Pete has a lot more faith in people than I," William's expression then grew serious. "By the time you go to him, he will already know of the situation at hand. Now hurry. The fate of the earth hangs in the balance."  
  
"Yes sir," Balthazar bowed. "I will not fail you."  
  
"That is yet to be determined," William muttered under his breath as he spun away from him.  
  
Balthazar was about to make his exit when he felt a presence behind him. "Jeremy."  
  
"Balthazar," Jeremy said amused. "I see you have not made much progress."  
  
"How observant of you," he said through gritted teeth.  
  
Jeremy smiled. "I thought we agreed to but the past behind us. You cannot still be jealous of me for what happened then. It was many years ago."  
  
Balthazar turned round to face his personal enemy whom he was forced to work with. "I was far better than you. It should have been I who was honored as the sorceror."  
  
"You don't honestly believe that do you? Balthazar, please, you are simply a slave. These magicks that I now possess are far beyond your capability to handle. You can't even handle a simple seek-and-destroy mission."  
  
"And you could have done better?"  
  
"Seeing as I already know who was the murderer, I would say definitely."  
  
"You know?" Balthazar asked. Jeremy simply smiled.  
  
"I am the sorceror, of course I know."  
  
Balthazar grabbed Jeremy by the neck and pushed him against the wall. "Tell me," he growled. When Jeremy did not reply Balthazar squeezed his neck harder.  
  
"I c-cannot tell you if y-you kill me," Jeremy gasped.  
  
Balthazar let go and let Jeremy crash to the floor. "Well?" he demanded.  
  
"A g-girl," he panted.  
  
"That's it!?"  
  
"She h-has much power. I could not penetrate into her thoughts and find her identity like I can for the others."  
  
Balthazar growled, and stormed out, his cloak twirling behind him, leaving Jeremy gasping for breath.  
  
___  
  
Scene change: Spike's crypt  
  
Spike put his bottle of blood back into the fridge, slamming the door closed. It had been over an hour and Xander and Oz still hadn't come back. Normally he would have been a little pissed off but the girl hadn't woken up yet so he hadn't minded that much. He sat down next to her on his couch and switched the television on. He was only into a few minutes the program - of a re-run of Friends (he'd watched some of them with Tara when he went over there and discovered it was a suitable replacement for his then favourite show Maybe It's Me) - when Annie rolled over in her sleep and her head landed in his lap. In shock, Spike looked down to see a mop of dark brown curls buried in his lap. Stunned momentarily, he turned her over so that she would face upwards - drool had begun to form on his new leather pants. After he had done that he looked at her for the first time. She looked incredibly cute with her thumb in her mouth. He smiled for a moment seeing how peaceful she was just lying there, but soon shook his head and looked back to the television. He left her on his lap, though.  
  
___  
  
Scene change: underground tunnel  
  
Buffy looked around for vampires as she carefully stepped through the sewer, but she knew there weren't any here - she could feel it. She knew she had to go back, and check on Dawn. She wasn't sure where she or any of the others were - she had come home as late as possible after what had happened and left as early as she could too. She didn't really want to face Dawn and knew since she Tara had spent the night there she would be okay. Lately, she had been spending more time with vampires than her friends. Giles would have told her that it was a bad thing even though in all likelihood it meant more vamps got dusted. But Giles wasn't here, he'd left her and gone leaving her to take care of everyone. And she hadn't done a very good job of it either. She pushed those thoughts aside as she heard a small noise and then turned cautiously into the next tunnel. A man was standing in the shadows hidden from the rays of sunlight and seemed stunned when she came into his view. She kicked him so he fell onto the hard floor and sat on top of his body holding a stake to his heart. Buffy was shocked when he smiled at her. "Hello." She stared at him as if he was mad. He smiled again. "Something bothering you?"  
  
"You're not human."  
  
"But I'm not a vampire either. You can sense that too - 'course you don't really need to sense things over her, what with the entrance being open and sunlight streaming through. A vampire would have turned into flames ages ago."  
  
Once again he surprised her in the way he knew everything and said it so matter-of-factly. "What are you then?"  
  
"I think 'who are you?' would be a politer - and more appropriate - question."  
  
"Same diff," she mused.  
  
"Actually, that's not true," he remarked. "While you can be told just what you are its up to you and you alone to decide just exactly who you are and who you are going to be. It's your choice and one of the few that only you can make for yourself." Buffy stared at him again except this time it was in a different way. "Would you mind terribly to stop sitting on me?" he said almost humorously. Slowly, she tucked the stake into her back pocket and stood up. He did the same and mumbled his thanks before brushing the dust off his coat.  
  
"What - I-I mean who -"  
  
"Who am I? My name is Jason but as for the rest - I'd rather not go through that right now." He was standing directly in the daylight and Buffy could see that he what he looked like. He was seemed to be in his late-20s and was very good-looking. "And you are Buffy the Vampire Slayer."  
  
"How'd you know that?" she asked.  
  
"I have friends in high places." Buffy stood contemplating until he spoke again, "The Powers That Be." She nodded. "Well, we're not exactly friends."  
  
"Now, I didn't think anybody could not like you."  
  
"Ha ha, very funny. Didn't think the Buffster could make jokes."  
  
"Don't call me that," she said suddenly.  
  
"Thought that was what you friends called you."  
  
"And since when were you my friend?"  
  
"Jeez, someone's touchy. You don't trust me do you?" he added afterwards.  
  
"I met you less than ten minutes ago, you expect me trust you?"  
  
"No, I don't." She stayed quiet after he said this not knowing how to reply. "Will you let me help you anyway?" he asked.  
  
"Why do you want to?" she countered.  
  
"I like to do what I can. I'm not very good at fighting - hell, if I was the cavalry you'd definitely lose the battle - but I can get information. I've got my sources."  
  
"Are they one of them?" she asked.  
  
Catching her drift, he asked, "You mean the Powers That Be? Well, yes - and no. It's a little more complicated than that."  
  
"Isn't it always?" she mused.  
  
He smiled. "Look, what I'm saying is that I know about this upcoming apocalypse. So do you, right?" She nodded remembering the open books that laid all over the floor when she came home. That pang of guilt she had felt then came back but she quickly tried to dismiss it. "Well, I can help you stop it."  
  
"Why don't you stop it yourself?"  
  
"Told you that already, I can't fight."  
  
"And what if I can't?" she said looking straight into his eyes.  
  
"Then you definitely fooled me back there. Also, that would mean that all they say about you is wrong."  
  
"W-what do they say?" she asked curiously.  
  
"Oh, only that you're one of the best slayers," he said.  
  
"I'm not," she shook her head.  
  
Jason smiled. "You've lived far longer than so many of the others."  
  
"In what sense do you mean I've actually lived?" she asked, stressing her point.  
  
This time it was Jason who shook his head. "You're different to all the other slayers, Buffy. You've lived longer than just about all the other slayers and have killed demons that were deemed undefeatable. You don't have to slay anymore but you still do. You think you don't know but inside you can feel it - it's you who's gonna save the day."  
  
This time, her head nodded slightly as she softly whispered, "Again."  
  
___  
  
END OF ACT 2  
  
ACT 3  
  
Scene: Giles's house, England  
  
"Is that it?" Giles asked.  
  
"Yep, that's the last of my stuff," Willow replied zipping her bag closed. She started to lift her suitcase when Giles moved to help her. "It's okay. I've got it," she said putting it straight.  
  
"Alright then. When does the plane leave?"  
  
Willow checked her watch. "I've got another two hours before I need to be at the airport but I've got to wait some after that." Giles and Willow both remained silent, before she made the first move. "Thanks for everything Giles," she hugged him.  
  
"That's perfectly alright Willow. Just remember if you ever need anything you can always call."  
  
"Yeah. And email, now I've taught you the main things on the computer."  
  
"I don't think I'll be touching that thing anytime soon. I didn't even want it," he indicated the laptop on the desk.  
  
Willow smiled. "Its practical. Good thing Olivia it to you. You need to be forced to do things sometimes."  
  
"And with you going away who is going to force me to use it?"  
  
"What are you gonna tell her when she asks you how you liked it once she returns from Spain?" Giles frowned contemplating, making Willow laugh and she released from his embrace.  
  
"Who is meeting you at the airport?" Giles pondered changing the subject.  
  
"My mom said she'd come. She's not to pleased about me missing most of my third semester especially now I'm onto my fourth and final year but she'll be there."  
  
"You didn't tell Buffy, did you?" Giles frowned again, this time more seriously.  
  
"I'll go see them Giles, I swear. I just I dunno...I know surprise isn't the best approach to this stuff, but...I am a little scared. I gotta admit that."  
  
"It'll go fine, just try not to worry."  
  
"That's all I seem to be doing," she sighed. "Are you gonna come back there?" she asked popping the question she'd been afraid to in the past few months.  
  
Giles didn't say anything at first. "I'm not quite sure, Willow. I've been here for about a year now and the longer I stay the harder it seems to go back."  
  
"Now who's not facing their demons?"  
  
___  
  
Scene change: Pavement, Sunnydale  
  
"Where are we going?" Buffy shouted as she ran down the road behind Jason. It had been over fifteen minutes and they were still running down the same road.  
  
"It's alright, we're almost there," he called. Soon she managed to catch up with him and pulled him aside when was there.  
  
"Where are we going!?" she repeated. "Tell me!"  
  
Jason breathed heavily and nodded. "I'm going to show you something."  
  
"Show me what?" she demanded. She wasn't prepared to move before she got a proper answer. "There's this person..." he stopped and panted again.  
  
She sighed. "Somebody who's gonna give me answers?" she suggested.  
  
He shook his head and answered when he had finally regained his breath. "Well, he can but not in that way and that's not why we're looking for him."  
  
"Then why are we?"  
  
"He knows the people who are starting the apocalypse. We can probably convince him to take you the source."  
  
"Then let's go," Buffy said, tired of asking questions and glad that Jason understood that although he was helping her now he wasn't exactly going to be coming with her.  
  
Jason smiled and pointed across the road. "We're already there."  
  
Buffy looked on shock. "A church!?" ___  
  
Scene change: Xander's apartment  
  
Oz sat down on the sofa with the books Dawn had given him. She was in the kitchen with Xander while he called Spike to bring Annie and come over. "Tara?" he called across to her. She had seemed extremely interested in her book ever since he had entered the room. Her head jerked sharply upwards. "Are you okay sitting over there on the floor? Because I don't mind sharing."  
  
She shook her head and quickly got back to her book. Silence followed in the minutes that seemed to take eternities to pass by. "Tara?" Oz called again  
  
"Yes?" she whispered avoiding his gaze.  
  
"I know things between us didn't exactly end on that great terms. You don't have to be scared of me." She finally looked at him. "Tonight's the full moon," she said slowly.  
  
"I know. But I don't change anymore, not at all. I swear," he spoke gently and kindly to her. She tried to seem more at ease than she was and nodded. "And also..."  
  
"Yeah?" she breathed.  
  
"You know ... I mean, with you and Willow, I hope you don't think I'm here for what I came before or anything," he rushed. "I'm not here for Willow. Well, Xander said she was with Giles in England anyway," he added. Tara nodded again. "Look," he said finally. "What I'm trying to say is I'm with Faith now and you don't need to worry about me trying to get back together with her or anything like that. It's over with me and her. I know she's not mine anymore." There was a slight hesitant pause after this. "She's yours."  
  
Oz got up from his seat and left the room. Tara hugged her body close and whispered to herself, "I'm not sure of that. I'm not sure of anything anymore." ___  
  
Scene change: Church  
  
"Funny," Buffy muttered. "I never figured you much for the religious type."  
  
Jason smirked before shushing Buffy. "Don't raise your voice so much."  
  
Buffy shook her head and mocked him from behind his back. As they walked behind the chairs the back door suddenly opened and a man in a robe walked in. "Wow, y'all take worship really seriously here," she said as she turned back to face Jason  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Jason looking at her. Buffy pointed over her shoulder to the man who had entered. Jason looked at him and his expression suddenly changed serious. He pulled Buffy by her jacket and ducked under the seat. He put a finger to his lips and stayed silent, all the while looking at the man who had just come in.  
  
Once he had disappeared behind the curtain at the side of the hall, Buffy pulled Jason back to face her and demanded, "What the hell was that?"  
  
"Balthazar."  
  
"Baltha-who?"  
  
"Balthazar!" he whispered sternly.  
  
"And just who is that!?" Buffy said, whispering as loud as she could in return, starting to get annoyed. Jason calmed down. "He worships Showun."  
  
"The demon," Buffy breathed. Jason nodded. They turned to look at the black curtain he had gone behind. "So what's behind door number one?"  
  
"I don't know," Jason said.  
  
"So what do we do now?"  
  
"I don't know," Jason realised.  
  
By this time Buffy was fed up. "Well, what do you expect me to do - follow the goddamn Yellow Brick Road!?"  
  
A loud gasp was heard behind them and they stood up and turned round to see a nun standing there wide-eyed. Jason opened his mouth to speak to her but she moved away from them soon, clutching her cross necklace in her palms and started praying to the Lord. Jason looked back at Buffy with an accusing look. She held up her hands innocently, "What? It was an accident!"  
  
He shook his head and murmured, "We should get moving."  
  
Buffy walked behind him as he went up the aisle. "You know," she said, "I didn't think I was ever gonna make it up here. Least of all with someone I'd only known for about an hour."  
  
"Ssh," he warned. "He might hear us." He stopped when he reached the black curtain and, carefully the two nuns praying at the front, he moved beside it. Buffy did the same.  
  
"Now what?" she whispered. He didn't say anything, instead he pushed the curtain open a little bit so they could see better. They looked through the small gap and saw the cloaked man. He was speaking to someone but they couldn't see any further inside so they did not know whom. Jason didn't want to open it any further in case they were seen.  
  
It was then that Buffy realised they were standing in front of a door that had a clear glass window on it. She looked through and gulped hard at what she saw. "Jason," she whispered as she tugged his sleeve slightly. He looked at her and she pointed to the window. He peered through to see many people surrounding the church, all in hooded cloaks, just like the man who had entered. They moved to the side and opened the door slightly so they could see well. They could, and saw many dozens of them - all with torches in their hands. Buffy and Jason looked at each other. "We have to get out here." ___  
  
END OF ACT 3  
ACT 4  
  
Scene: An alleyway  
  
"Alright then, what do we do now that your source is a dud!?" Buffy demanded.  
  
"He's not a dud," Jason panted  
  
"Well, we can't go back there!"  
  
"I know, I know."  
  
"Then what the hell are we supposed to do!?"  
  
"I'm thinking! And it would be nice if you helped out too. You can't just expect me to come up with all the ideas for this. You're the Slayer, after all."  
  
"Oh, right and that means everything is up to me huh? I have to sort out everything, I have to be the one who's in charge? Well, I'm fed up with all that crap and you can't expect me to deal with everything that's going on. I can't take it."  
  
Jason looked at her slowly. "Then you're not the girl I thought you were."  
  
Buffy stared at her feet for a few seconds then she looked up and, purposely avoiding his gaze, walked away. ___  
  
Scene change: Xander's apartment - living room, up front  
  
"Tara?" Xander called  
  
"Yes?" she replied.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then why are you sitting on the floor?" She scrambled to her feet and sat on the sofa. She pulled the book off the floor and placed it on her lap before wrapping her arms around herself. "Cold?" he asked. She didn't say anything so he sat down next to her. "Look, It's a bit tense now with things between you and Oz, I'm sorry. When he started talking about demons and apocalypses I forgot to tell him about you and Willow."  
  
Tara shook her head. "It's not just that." Xander waited for her to continue. "Are you sure this is right?" she said after a while.  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked, confused.  
  
"Are you sure I should be here?"  
  
"Here as in..."  
  
"Here."  
  
"Oh," Xander realised. "This isn't about what your uncle said is it?" He asked remembering what had happened last month when Tara's uncle Greg had come to Sunnydale.  
  
"A little."  
  
"Tara, do you really want to go back there?"  
  
"No -"  
  
"Then what's to think about? You can't let anything he said get to you."  
  
"You're sure?"  
  
He sighed. "Tara, where do you want to be - here with us or back there with them?"  
  
"Here. With you guys," she said almost immediately.  
  
"And as long as you want to stay here with us, you will. Don't even think that we only let you in the gang 'cause of Will. That's just how we got to know you. Okay?"  
  
"Okay?"  
  
He smiled. "After all, Dawn would definitely kill me if I let you go back there." Tara smiled back at him.  
  
"Come on," he said closing her book. "Let's get something to eat."  
  
One-Two hours later..... (same place)  
  
On hearing the doorbell ring, Xander hopped through the living room to open the door, only to be face-to-face with the person he had been trying to contact the whole day. "Buffy."  
  
"Hey."  
  
Wordlessly, Xander stepped back to allow her to enter. "Where've you been?"  
  
"Out," she said and walked inside.  
  
"Figures," he mumbled under his breath when he closed the door. Then, Oz walked into the room. He stopped when he saw Buffy.  
  
"Oz?" He just nodded.  
  
"Oz came for help," Xander told her. Buffy looked at Xander waiting for more, but he just motioned to Oz who continued for him.  
  
"The apocalypse?"  
  
"Yeah?" she said.  
  
"It needs a sacrifice to take place."  
  
"What kind of sacrifice?"  
  
"The slayer."  
  
Horror struck, Buffy stared at the floor. "Buffy," Xander started, but before he could say anything else Buffy had dropped to the floor and started crying. ___  
  
Scene change: still Xander's apartment, bedroom  
  
"Dawn?" Buffy called as she poked her head out from the door.  
  
"Over here," she answered.  
  
Buffy entered and softly closed the door behind her. They stood silently facing each other on the opposite sides of the bed. Dawn was simply watching Anne sleep and after a while Buffy did the same. Finally Dawn decided to face her sister. "Are you going?"  
  
"Huh?" Buffy asked looking up.  
  
"To save Faith? Are you going?" When Buffy didn't stared blankly at her Dawn added, "They did tell you about it right?"  
  
"Yeah," Buffy said nodding. "They did."  
  
"Well?" Buffy didn't say anything. She couldn't look at Dawn and looking at nothing was a struggle due to Annie lying on the bed. And, with what she was about to do, looking at Annie right now impossible. Dawn's voice interrupted Buffy's thoughts. "I am."  
  
"Huh?" Buffy repeated.  
  
"I am. I'm going to go with to save Faith."  
  
"What? Dawn, do you remember everything Faith to all of us, not to mention what she did to you?"  
  
Dawn shook her head. "Yeah, I do."  
  
"Then how can you seriously want to endanger yourself to save her?"  
  
Dawn gestured towards the girl lying in between them. "Annie."  
  
"Annie?"  
  
Dawn sat down and sighed. "Well, I guess there is the whole apocalypse reason, but it's Annie mainly."  
  
"What do you mean?" Buffy asked trying to be calm.  
  
Dawn looked at Annie. "Buffy, when mom died it was really hard for me and I know it was hard for you, even though you tried to pretend sometimes that you could deal. If we let Faith die - even if we stop the apocalypse anyway - that means Annie won't have a mom." Dawn struggled to go on. "And if I can do something so that there will be one less person like me, one less person who has to feel that, then I want to do it. Because I don't think there is anyone who has to go through that. Especially not a three year old girl." ____  
  
Scene: Back to Xander's living room  
  
"Hey Buffy," Spike said, looking up from the table after Buffy came out of the room.  
  
"Hey Spike."  
  
"You okay?" he asked, concerned.  
  
"As okay as I can be, I guess." Spike nodded, understandingly. "Dawn told you about her plan, huh?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Did she tell you why?" Buffy asked curiously. Dawn didn't share much feelings, what had just happened was the first time in ages that Dawn had told Buffy how she felt. But she knew sometimes, Dawn told Tara stuff. She just wasn't sure about Spike - but she knew they were close.  
  
"Didn't ask." Buffy didn't expect Spike to explain further but he did. "It's a Summers women thing. Ya'll have your reasons, just don't want to share. I didn't wanna pry, so I didn't ask." Buffy nodded. "Are you going?" Spike couldn't help asking.  
  
"I don't know," Buffy breathed. "Are you?" she asked him.  
  
"Well, I don't know."  
  
"How come?"  
  
"'Cause you don't. I go with you Buffy."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Look, Buffy you need some time to think this shit over. That's okay. But unfortunately you've got less than twenty-four hours. The apocalypse is happenin' tomorrow at midnight and maybe you'll be there, maybe you won't. But it's down to you."  
  
Buffy knew he had sensed she was about to ask him what would he do. "I'm really confused," she said sitting down on the sofa.  
  
"D'you think she'd do it for you?"  
  
Buffy considered this for a minute. "A Faith I once knew would have. And I would have gone for her. But the Faith I last met, I don't think so. She- she'd have been scared. And that is what really scares me. Because when Faith is scared - it's bad. Thing is, I don't know who this Faith is. And I'm not completely sure I want to..." Buffy trailed off and Spike nodded.  
  
Spike sat down next to her and gently patted her back, brushing away some hair. "It's okay," he whispered. Buffy turned to look at Spike who gazed back at her sincerely. Buffy sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder. ____  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
NEXT EPISODE: S7.3 "TFTOE Part 3" Xander, Dawn, Oz and Spike go to save Faith without Buffy, but when she makes a discovery she knows it's up to her to save the day. But will she? 


	3. The Fate OF The Earth Part 3

s7.3 The Fate of the Earth Part 3  
  
A/N: Yes, I know this took forever but I am writing another story at the same time as this and that's slowing me down. Also - i dno't remember whether or not I already said this but the setting of the scene doesn't mean that that whole scene will take place there. Most of the time, they move to a different place in the middle and may even end in another place.  
  
Teaser:  
  
Setting: A dungeon in the mansion Faith stared at the ceiling of her little room, her cell. She was bound to the wall by the chains that consumed her wrists. She gave them a slght tug, though since she had been here for almost a week now, trying it every day, she knew it wouldn't work. A stray lock of dirty brown hair fell onto fer face and she blew it away as she sighed. She closed her eyes and thought of Annie, her little girl. She hadn't always believed in God - at that time she hadn't wanted to belive that someone could cause so much hurt and pain to people- but now she prayed for him to Annie safe. And Oz too. She desperately wanted to se them again. Something had begun to burn her lids so she opened them and saw a ray of light streaming in through the pathetic excuse she had for a window. Sunrise, she thought to herself. The end of another night of slaying for Buffy. The men took her by suprise when they suddenly entered. She shot up, always alert when they were around. SHe wouldn't let them see that, slowly but surely, they were wearing her out. The one at the front smiled and removed his hood, so she could see he was the one they called William, the leader. "Hello, Slayer. How are you felling today?"  
  
"Five by five." She didn't hesitate and tried not to seem too jumpy.  
  
"Good. It's time."  
  
"Time for what?" she demanded.  
  
"Time to start the day's work, of course. We need to prepare you," William told her with a rare grin on his face. "After all, one must look pretty for one's own death." ____  
  
MAIN CAST: + Buffy + Xander + Willow + Spike + Wesley + Tara + Dawn + Faith + And Oz  
  
GUEST CAST: + Sheila Rosenburg + William + Jason + Balthazar + Pete + Annie  
  
ACT 1  
  
Setting: Xander's place: kitchen Oz looked up from the fridge when he heard somene enter. "Buffy."  
  
"Hi Oz," she said shifting her feet.  
  
He stood up holding a bottle of juice in his right hand and holding the door open with his left. "Do you want anything?" Buffy shook her head. He shut the fridge and placed the bottle on the table before turning his back to her and looking into the cupboard.  
  
"Um, Oz?" she called nervously. "I think, I mean we...well, I guess we need to talk. I -"  
  
"You're not coming?" he said seriously. Buffy shook her head. Oz nodded and set his glass down on the table.  
  
"It's just -"  
  
"It's okay," he cut her off again. "I wasn't quite sure you would anyway." Her mouth rounded into an 'O'. "I know you and Faith, you guys have stuff to deal with. I didn't expect you to come with me to save her."  
  
"Then why'd you come see us?" she wondered aloud.  
  
"I just needed a little info."  
  
"And we're good for that," Buffy bobbed her head along.  
  
"You're not just the slayer. You're Buffy. You help people. And by letting me know what I needed you helped me."  
  
"It wasn't really me," she babbled. "Spike said you, Tara and Xander were doing a lot of research. I wasn't even here." Oz just smiled at her, knowingly. He set the now empty glass down and began to leave the kitchen. "Oz?" she said.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"There's some weapons in my house that you can use, they might help you out. Spike can show you them."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Oh, and Oz?"  
  
"Yes, Buffy?"  
  
"Be careful." He had nodded and left the room before she added to herself, "And bring Faith home." ___  
  
Scene change: Willow's parents house Willow set her bag down on the floor and looked around. "Whoa."  
  
"We've been doing a little re-decorating since you've been gone," her mother explained.  
  
"I can see that."  
  
"You don't like it?" he mother sounded worried.  
  
"Oh, no, it's not that," Willow said hastily. "It's just...It's different."  
  
"What, you've been away for months, Willow and you expected it all to stay the same?"  
  
"It's just it's been that way ever since I can remember. Now, it's changed."  
  
"So have you," her mother said bluntly.  
  
"Well, mom, I...stuff happens when you're growing up...things change, you change. People change." Willow struggled to find the right words.  
  
Her mother nodded and seemed to forget about it. "So when are Xander and Bunny coming?"  
  
"Huh?" Willow jerked out of her thoughts.  
  
"You know? Your friends, when are they coming? It is Bunny, isn't it? Oh, wait, no it's Buffy, that's right. You did tell her and Xander, didn't you? I was quite suprised that he didn't turn up. That time when you were fifteen and went to visit your Aunt May in Canada, he insisted that he come to pick you up from the airport. Remember?"  
  
"Yeah...I do." Willow smiled momentarily at the thought of old memories. Times when they were happy.  
  
Times when they felt safe. She didn't think they would ever feel like that again.  
  
___  
  
Scene change: Back to Xander's, living room  
  
"I want you to know I don't like this. That you're still going with them, I mean," Buffy told her sister.  
  
"I know that."  
  
"Dawn, I understand why you want to, but it will be dangerous and I don't want you to get hurt."  
  
"I won't"  
  
"Dawn! That's not good enough."  
  
"It's not? But isn't that what you always say when you go off slaying?" Dawn was getting annoyed and she didn't try to cover up her feelings.  
  
Buffy sighed. "That's different. I'm the Slayer. I can take care of myself. You haven't got experience in fighting."  
  
"Well, that's not really my fault. I asked you and you said you'd teach me. You promised. Except you never have time since you're so busy slaying. That's why they fired you at that burger place isn't it? Because you never showed up fo work!"  
  
Dawn's face was set and Buffy didn't dare lie in retaliation. She just nodded. "I know. I'm sorry." Buffy fell onto the bed. "I guess I'm not that great as a role model."  
  
Buffy's expression made Dawn soften and she went and sat next to her sister. "i hvaen't exactly been that easy to take care of either."  
  
Buffy shrugged. "It's been hard on you."  
  
"I know, but sometimes I just don't realise that it's been hard on you too." Buffy didn't say anything. "You know I'm still going, right?"  
  
"Yeah." Buffy smiled briefly.  
  
Dawn got up from the bed and walked to the door, before pausing momentarily and turning back around. "Buffy?"  
  
"Yeah?" she looked up.  
  
"Could you - I mean, would you mind...doing me a favour?"  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Could you...go see Wesley for me? Just to see how he's doing?" When Buffy didn't say anything Dawn suddenly changed, "It's okay if you don't want to. I just thought -"  
  
"No, it's okay. I'll go."  
  
Dawn smiled. "Thanks."  
  
"No problem," Buffy lied. ____  
  
END OF ACT 1  
  
ACT 2  
  
Scene: Willow's parents house  
  
"So?" Willow's mother asked her. "How was England?"  
  
"Okay. A little cold."  
  
"Willow," she started. "There's something I need to talk to you about."  
  
"Oh?" Willow was almost praying that it wasn't about her having had a 'girlfriend.'  
  
"It's about you education."  
  
Willow's breath came out of her with in a rush. "What about it mom?"  
  
"Well, do you even plan on going back to college?"  
  
"Well, mom, I -"  
  
"Your father was ver upset when you stopped and went to England, for reasons you thought that we, your own parents, didn't need to know."  
  
"But mom -"  
  
"Don't interupt me Willow! To find that out after having to deal with you being...you being a-a -" she trailed off.  
  
"A lesbian! Just say it mum!"  
  
Willow's mother reamined calm. "Fine then Willow a lesbian. Do you know what that can do to the reputation of an otherwise respectable family?"  
  
"I don't know, mum, tell me, what can it do? And besides, I don't even know if I am actually gay!"  
  
"Well, I should hope you are not. You need to settle and calm yourslef down. I think that Buffy Summers has been a bad influence on you Willow."  
  
"What? Since when has Buffy got to do with any of this? I thought this was my fault!"  
  
"After you met Buffy you have certainly rebelled against many of the rules of this house."  
  
"What rules, mum?"  
  
"Don't try to play games with me Willow! I saw that cross in your drawer!"  
  
"Oh. That," Willow said under her breath.  
  
Sheila heard it anyway. "Yes that, Willow. Your father was outraged and has even considered marrying you off."  
  
"What!? Marrying me? To whom?" Willow demanded, upset and angry.  
  
"He has some friends who have nice, young sons."  
  
"And you expect to find a guy who'll actually marry a lesbian! DO you mum!?"  
  
"Well, what else are we supposed to do with you Willow? You better get your act together young lady and fast or else..."  
  
"Or elsewhat mum?" Willow stood up. "What will you do?"  
  
"If you don't listen to us and won't marry then I'll send you away to a home."  
  
"A home? For what? It's not like I'm on drugs or something!"  
  
"Don't speak to me like that, Willow. You need to be controlled and unless you can prove that to me, then I've made up my mind."  
  
And with that Shiela walked out of the room leaving her daughter distraught and alone.  
  
____  
  
Scene change: Hospital  
  
Buffy tapped her fingers impatiently on the desk in front of her. The nurse looked up from the computer screen and gave Buffy a half-smile.  
  
"Mr Wyndam-Pryce is in room 3009," she said. "Just down that hallway," she pointed to her left. "Second door on the left."  
  
"Uh, thanks," Buffy muttered as she swung her bag off the counter and followed the nurse's directions. She was about to place her hand on the doorknob when it jerked open suddenly.  
  
"Hello," an old lady wearing a nurse's uniform, said.  
  
"H-hi," said Buffy.  
  
She smiled at Buffy. "The patients always enjoy it when they have visitors. It makes them very happy."  
  
"Yeah, well, that's me. Happy Buffy," she mumbled realising seconds later that she sounded completely stupid. "Um, I'll just go in," she spoke fast wanting to go in and get out as fast as possible. She didn't hate Wesley, but he definately wasn't very high on her list of people she wanted to be alone with.  
  
"Not even in the middle," she whispered to herself even though the lady had gone. 'Unlike Angel,' said a little voice in the back of her head. 'Whoa. Where did that come from?' her thoughts ran, but were pushed out again as the voice came back. 'Angel who might even be missing, but you won't do anything about it.' Buffy stood frozen at the door for a moment and then shook her head vigorously, as if that would dispell the little voice from her brain.  
  
"Something the matter?" a different voice called.  
  
Buffy jerked up fast, hurting her neck in the process, and pulled back the hair from her face to see Wesley eyeing her strangely.  
  
"Why were you..." he stopped that told her he was looking for a word to describe what he thought he had just seen but couldn't think of it. Or more like it hadn't even been invented.  
  
"You're awake?"  
  
"Yes, actually I am," he said, sounding more sarcastic than he had intended.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Did you...did you come here to see...me?" He spoke as if it was the strangest thing in the world. Even stranger than what she'd done a few seconds ago.  
  
Buffy was about to start some speech on how he should be nicer and 'of course' she would come and see him, but then she remembered thinking all the way on her journey there that it was the strangest thing on the world too. She hadn't been any good at fooling herslef lately anyway so there wasn't much chance she'd fool Wesley. She decided to go with the truth. "Dawn asked me to check up on you."  
  
"I see. How is she?" Wesley sounded, uncertain, hesitant, as if he was just as uncomfortable as Buffy.  
  
"Fine. Still stubborn. Same old."  
  
"Yeah," he said. Suddenly, Buffy grinned. "What?" he asked.  
  
"You," she said. "I never thought I'd ever hear you of all people saying 'yeah.' Not very English of you."  
  
Buffy thought she saw Wesley smile, but then realised he was grimacing. "Is something...wrong?" she asked.  
  
"My back just hurts," he mumbled.  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Buffy, did you..." he paused.  
  
"Did I, what Wesley?"  
  
"Did you call Angel by any chance?" he asked her.  
  
She took a deep breath and shook her head, before correcting herself. "Well, actually, no one answered."  
  
"Oh."  
  
They both stayed silent for some time before Buffy finally asked, "Why?"  
  
"I just wanted to know whether they knew...whether you had told them about what happened. A nurse I met gave me a description of the person who brought me here. That, and the fact that the last thing I remember before collapsing was being attcked by a vampire, made me realise it was you."  
  
"Right," Buffy nodded. "Well, they don't really know about you seeing how we couldn't contact them. If you want you can call them now," she said, searching through her bag for her mum's old mobile that she'd started to use.  
  
"No!" Wesley exclaimed suddenly. Buffy looked up, startled. "I-I mean...don- don't call them. I don't want them to know," he added after pausing.  
  
"Okay," Buffy told him.  
  
"I know that it seems wierd to you, but -"  
  
"No, it's okay. I won't call them. Promise."  
  
Wesley nodded in reply.  
  
"I gotta go," Buffy said quickly. "See ya."  
  
She walked out and gently closed the door behind her. "See ya," Wesley whispered.  
  
____  
  
END OF ACT 2  
  
ACT 3  
  
Scene: Outside the mansion  
  
"Everybody ready?" Xander asked.  
  
"Let's just get this over with," Dawn said, twirling her stake in her hand.  
  
"Hey, how come she's got a stake? I thought the deal was that he was worshipped by men. Which also means she can't kill any of those blokes, only ME!" Spike exclaimed.  
  
"We're not going to kill any of the humans. We'll only kill the demon. And the vampires if there are any," Oz added as an afterthought.  
  
"Buffy didn't want Dawn with any swords and stuff," Xander offered.  
  
"Well, if we're all sorted then let's go," Oz said.  
  
While Spike and Dawn went to the front of the house to take their positions, Oz and Xander did the same behind the house. Once everyone was ready, with a quick lance, Oz walked into the house through the back door followed by Xander. ___  
  
Scene change: A road Buffy walked down the road, adjusting her bag onto her shoulder. She passed the church that she had been to just yesterday with Jason. She paused for a minute remembering what had happened there and why they left. She also remembered that the others didn't know anything about that or Jason. Buffy prayed for Dawn, Xander, Spike and Oz without even realising it till afterwards. Buffy continued walking only to realise that while her body wanted to go forward her feet had a mind of their own and directed her backwards and straight into the church.  
  
She shut the door quietly behind her and tiptoed towards the room that she and Jason had tried to look inside the previous day. Checking that the one man she had seen praying wasn't looking, she moved swiftly inside and tugged the curtain closed behind her. When she turned around she saw another person already inside sorting through drawers. Buffy raised her fist above her head but before she could pull it down and knock the man out he turned around and saw her. "Jason!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Buffy. Thought you'd show sooner or later. Sooner, actually."  
  
"Oh, well then, I'm extremly sorry to have kept you waiting. I must have wasted so much of your precious time that you spend running around in a red cape and underwear saving the world from its horrors. I've been meaning to ask, who pays you?"  
  
"It's not funny, Buffy."  
  
"Oh, I do apologize, I thought it was," Buffy mocked.  
  
"And Superman doesn't run. He flies."  
  
"Right," Buffy nodded. "The whole bird or plane thing. I've been meaning to ask the Powers That Be for that. I mean, I'd definately be able to kill vampires a lot quicker and plus I don't think they've discovered what's Slayer kryptonite yet, so it'd be cool."  
  
Jason cracked a grin, but only for a second. "I think I've found something that might be useful, specially since the apocalypse is tonight," he stressed.  
  
"So I've been told. Well?" she asked him. "What've you got?"  
  
Jason picked up a stack of papers from the desk and tossed them to Buffy. She caught them and twisted them the right way round, before starting to read. "And once the war is over, the world turns -"  
  
"Wrong page," Jason said.  
  
"On the night of the apocalypse the almighty Showun will rise and he will bestow reign of fire upon this vile Earth infested by the human race. What the hell!?" Buffy asked once she'd read out a bit.  
  
"It's some sort prophecy, written in ancient times," Jason told her.  
  
"And probably translated into English by this guy. I don't think they had word processors back then," Buffy said. "So, Jason, what are you gonna do about it?"  
  
"Buffy, could you please tell me that I heard you wrong. You did just say 'we' and not 'you', right?"  
  
Buffy shook her head. "Nope. You gotta sort this one out on your own, J."  
  
"Buffy, I've already been over this with you. I can't! You're the goddamn Slayer!"  
  
"So what, Jason? What does that mean? Does it mean that if someone dies - no matter what the reason - I'm responsible because I couldn't save them? Or is it that I have to hang around taking orders from some old guy in a suit who has never even been on the field for himself? Take your bloody pick!?"  
  
"You know, Buffy, I think that you've been hanging around that blonde vampire a bit too much. Loosen up. And try to hang out with a few less dead people."  
  
"What?" she said, exasperated.  
  
"You should, really," Jason told her. "It would do you some good."  
  
Buffy slumped down into the chair behind her. "I so do not get you."  
  
"He shrugged his shoulders. "Not many people do."  
  
"Not many? I'm suprised there's 'any'."  
  
"One person. Once, anyway. Claire."  
  
"Girlfriend?" Buffy asked, folding her legs.  
  
"None of your business."  
  
"Fine," she said. "You gonna tell me what's happenin' with this apocalypse, then? And what all this info about it is doing in a church?"  
  
"I'm not sure, but I think it has something to do with Balthazar being here."  
  
"Right, that guy. Wierd name. At least in Baz Luhrman's movie he made up for it by casting a cute guy in the role. This guy looks like he has a pimple."  
  
Jason glared at her.  
  
"Sorry," she muttered.  
  
"Well, I think we need to -" Jason was cut off by a loud noise from outside.  
  
"Where did that come from?" Buffy asked. "Hey! Wait for me!" she yelled as she ran after Jason who had headed out the room and burst out of the entrance and stopped on the outskirts of the field.  
  
"Pete," Jason whispered, looking down from their slightly raised level to the circle of men.  
  
"Which one?" Buffy asked quietly.  
  
"That one," Jason pointed to the man who seemed the oldest and was the only one not wearing a cloak.  
  
"Isn't that Balthazar?" Buffy pointed to the man standing next to Pete.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
The two of them stood quietly for a minute not knowing what to make of the scene before them. Then suddenly Buffy gasped.  
  
"What?" Jason asked her, still keeping his voice low.  
  
"That man, farthest away, he was one of them who was here yesterday, with a torch. And so was he!" she added loudly, showing the man on his left.  
  
Her sudden outburst attracted the attention of the men standing in the hushed circle. Jason heard Buffy whisper something that sounded like, "Oh, shit," but he was afraid to inhale.  
  
"Jason, how nice of you to join us," Pete said. "And you've brought a friend." His gaze drifted to Buffy and a smile played on his lips. He clicked his fingers and all the other men, aside from a grinning Balthazar, ran up to them. Three of them grabbed Buffy roughly by the shoulders and pulled her to Pete while the other two did the same with Jason. They threw Buffy on the ground and she soon began spitting out mouthfuls of dirt.  
  
"It's nice to finally meet you," Balthazar said to her shaking figure.  
  
"The famous Balthazar," she huffed. "Likewise."  
  
"What's going on?" Jason demanded after having stopped his unsuccessful tries of breaking free.  
  
"Why I'd have thought you of all people would know, Jason? It's the apocalypse," said Pete. "And this young woman had the nerve to murder the brother of this young fellow's master." Pete geustured to Balthazar as he said this.  
  
"That's what this is all about?" Buffy said.  
  
"Why of course," said Balthazar. "Kill her," he instructed.  
  
Four of them bent down to get Buffy, but one hesitated and asked Pete, "But what about him?" he asked pointing to Jason with one hand on his shoulder.  
  
Pete sighed. "I have no use for him. Kill him after you've finished her off."  
  
Pete and Balthazar both headed off and all of them started to attack an already weak Buffy. Jason decided to take advantage of the fact that they had suddenly forgotten about him and picked one of them up and flung him through the air. They were suprised by the behind attack and so two of them moved to attack Jason, but this gave Buffy the breathing room she needed and with two swift blows she managed to knock all four of them out. Jason thought she would get angry at him again but all Buffy did was grin breathlessly at him. "Thought you couldn't fight."  
  
"I can do a bit," he told her.  
  
"Not bad." ___  
  
Scene change: Xander's apartment, living room  
  
Tara rushed to the door after hearing the frantic knocking from the other side. "Oh my god, Buffy! What happened to you?" she asked noticing the blood red scar on her forehead.  
  
"There was a fight. With some people. Who work for Showun," she said each group of words coming after a long breath.  
  
"B-but that's the guy who Dawn, Spike, Xander and Oz went to fight!"  
  
"I know. I have to help them Tara. Those people know that I killed that demon's brother and after this fight they're gonna think that they have some kind of link with me."  
  
"But how do they know you killed that demon?" Tara said as she helped Buffy onto the couch.  
  
"I beat the crap out of one of those guys. He said they did some sort of spell that would uncover the killer."  
  
"We have to do something! I can do a spell," Tara offered.  
  
Buffy shook her head. "No, I can't make you do that. Especially not after you swore not to ever use your magicks unless it was absolutely necessary."  
  
"But it is!" Tara protested. "It's the only way to help them."  
  
"No, it's not. We both know that, Tara."  
  
"I just don't want you to feel that you have to go if you don't want to."  
  
"Tara, I do want to do this - I need to do this. I have to try to save Faith. If they manage to avert the apocalypse I won't be able to live knowing that I didn't try to do anything."  
  
Tara nodded. "Okay, then. I would come with you but someone has to look -"  
  
"After Annie," Buffy finished for her. "I know." Buffy stood up. "Wait for us here."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"We'll be back." And with that Buffy left the apartment.  
  
But Tara stayed standing. "I know you will, Buffy. You always come back." ____  
  
END OF ACT 3  
  
ACT 4  
  
Scene: Inside the mansion  
  
"Start the ritual!" William commanded.  
  
The others dragged a limp Faith onto the raised platform and quickly secured her wrists to the wall before she could try to escape.  
  
"Behold!" William shouted. "On this night you all bear witness to the rising of the all-powerful Showun to be ruler of this earth." Behind him Showun towered and let out a low growl.  
  
William took out a long scroll and prepared to read out from it, but stopped when he heard a thud behind him. They all turned to see what was the disturbance and many gasped at the sight of Showun lying on the floor in pain, with a club resting near to his head.  
  
"Who has done this?" William bellowed. "Speak now!"  
  
Spike stepped out of the shadows and into their view. Seconds later, Dawn was by his side.  
  
"What are you doing?" Spike hissed into her ear.  
  
"You can't leave me behind, like that. Buffy wouldn't like that."  
  
"You were supposed to stay there as part of the plan!"  
  
"Ssh! Don't raise you voice," Dawn told him. Then, to William, she shouted, "What's that, like, speak now or forever hold you peace? And by the way, your demon guy doesn't look so all-powerfull anymore."  
  
"What!?" Spike whispered to Dawn. "Was that first bit actually supposed to make sense?"  
  
"Well, hey! Buffy always got some smart retort to say to the demon's before kicking butt," Dawn said  
  
"Key word there, being 'smart'," Spike told her.  
  
William growled and began to step forward. "Sieze them!" he ordered his men.  
  
In a second they were surrounded and Dawn and Spike had no openings to escape from. As they came closer, Spike whispered, "Stay close to me." She nodded in fear.  
  
One of the men lunged forward, but Spike hit him before he could do anything to either of them.  
  
Unfortunately, it hurt Spike even more than it had hurt him. "Oh God. I forgot that they're human," Dawn said as Spike began o collapse on top of her.  
  
William began to smile as Spike fell and then both he and Dawn were both picked up and escorted out.  
  
"Well, there's nothing to stop us from completeing the ritual now."  
  
"Actually, maybe there is."  
  
William looked above where the sound had come from and saw Xander and Oz waiting, with a few of his men already passed out next to them. ____  
  
Scene change: The mansion's dungeon "Great, just great," Spike drawled as he tugged against his chains. "You had to go in acting all fancy pants."  
  
"Well, at least we didn't pass out!" Xander retorted back.  
  
"Just stop fighting will you both!" Oz said, annoyed. "You can't save the world like that.  
  
"Look, at least we tried you guys," Dawn said, shaking uncomfortably.  
  
"Hey, you okay?" Spike asked concerned, forgetting all about Xander.  
  
"I was just wondering...."  
  
"Why did we all screw up?"  
  
"I didn't say that Xander!"  
  
"But we did. I'm sorry, Dawn. For you. And for you, Oz. For everyone," Xander added whispering, but they all heard him anyway.  
  
They stayed silent after that, until the door burst open, falling on its hinges.  
  
"You should be sorry Xander. 'Cause kids like Dawn are still gonna have to face the high school demons next week. And they are way worse than the ones whose asses I just kicked out there."  
  
"Buffy!" Dawn screamed.  
  
"You came!" Xander said.  
  
"Course, I did, Xand. Think I'd let you guys come here and get your asses kicked?"  
  
"Thanks for the faith, Buffy," Spike said as she broke Xander's chains.  
  
"Oh and speaking of Faith, she's doing okay," Buffy told Oz. A loud noise from outside of a demon dieing made them all grin. Buffy moved to help Oz, while Spike and Xander got Dawn, but he stopped her.  
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
"Thanks, Buffy."  
  
She smiled. "You're welcome." ____  
  
END OF ACT 4 __________________ NEXT EPISODE: S7.4 "Traffic On The Road To Nowhere" - Spike tires to talk to Buffy about their situation, but she's busy trying to sort out her problems with Faith. Willow pays a visit to Tara, in search of help and forgiveness, who struggles with her feelings... 


End file.
